Chapter 1. Unveiling the iPhone

In This Chapter

  • Looking at the big picture

  • Touring the outside of the iPhone

  • Checking out the iPhone's applications

Congratulations. You've selected one of the most incredible handheld devices we've ever seen. Of course, the iPhone is one heck of a wireless telephone, but it's actually four awesome handheld devices in one. In addition to being a killer cell phone, it's a gorgeous widescreen video iPod, a decent 2-megapixel digital camera (original iPhone and iPhone 3G) or 3-megapixel camera/camcorder (iPhone 3GS), as well as the smallest, most powerful Internet communications device yet.

In this chapter, we offer a gentle introduction to all four devices that make up your iPhone, plus overviews of its revolutionary hardware and software features.

Unveiling the iPhone

The Big Picture

The iPhone has many best-of-class features, but perhaps its most unusual feature is the lack of a physical keyboard or stylus. Instead, it has a 3½-inch super-high-resolution touchscreen (160 pixels per inch if you care about such things) that you operate using a pointing device you're already intimately familiar with: your finger.

And what a display it is. We venture that you've never seen a more beautiful screen on a handheld device in your life.

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